1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing sinkers. More specifically, a fishing sinker having interchangeable weights where the weights are common materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fisherman on both a professional level and on an amateur level use many varied weighted sinkers depending upon the depth and current of the waters that they are fishing in. Changing these sinkers or adding and subtracting sinkers from the fishing line can be both time consuming and costly.
The prior art has proposed a number of devices for releasable or changeable sinkers. Heretofore, such devices have either involved complex mechanisms in order to release the sinker when necessary, or the devices have been cumbersome or expensive for the operator to use.
Numerous innovations for a fishing sinker having interchangeable or removable weights have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,485 PA0 Automatically Releasing Mounting System For a Weight Member PA0 Josef Koller PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,958 PA0 Tension Release Coupling For Fishing Line PA0 Bernard Cot PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,350 PA0 Fishing Line Weight PA0 Donald W. Hockathorn PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,372 PA0 Sinker Release Method and Apparatus PA0 Robert E. Cullen PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,398 PA0 Adjustable and Releasable Sinker Adapted For Attachment to Fishing Line PA0 Carl W. Newell PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,932 PA0 Weight Release Mechanism PA0 James D. Maxwell
The invention provides for an automatically releasing mounting system by dint of which a weight member may be releasably connected to a fishing-line. The mounting system comprises a receptacle resiliently biased into essentially conical shape. Wall portions of the receptacle are interconnected by a pivotal joint near the upper end thereof, while latch apparatus are provided to releasably connect the lower ends of the wall portions. the latch apparatus include a latch member having a wing formed integral thereto. When the receptacle hits the surface of the water, the relative movement between the water and the wing portion of the latch member will cause moving of the latch member out of the associated latch-catch. Thus the wall portions of the receptacle cooperating in defining the lower aperture of the container can expand. The receptacle including the latch apparatus can be molded as a single essentially flat part. In order to keep this molded part having been correspondingly bent in the conical or cylindrical configuration the pivotal joint is formed by two members associated to one of the wall portions, respectively, and being adapted for releasable mutual engagement.
This prior art patent differs from the present invention in that this prior art automatically releases a weight member upon hitting the surface of the water. The present invention, by contrast, has a removable weight member that can be removed and replaced by the user before using the weight in the water. The present inventions weight will not disengage from the rest of the apparatus upon hitting the water. The removability is to exchange weights for ones of different sizes.
A coupling assembly adapted to connect a fishhook to the remainder of a fishing line, including the lure, and which responds to tension on this remainder of the fishing line to release the same free of the fishhook when the latter catches a submerged obstacle. This tension release coupling assembly includes a resilient coupling member, such as of plastic, which is attached to the cord of the fishing line and which has a cavity therein adapted to releasably catch the eye of a common fishhook or an enlarged end portion of a specially made fishhook or hook connector member. The resilient coupling member may be calibrated in relation to the different strengths of cord used for the fishing lines such that the fishhook will be released before the tensional strength of the corresponding cord is reached. The resilient coupling members are colored in accordance with a code distinctive of the predetermined calibration of strength thereof.
As with the earlier referenced, prior art invention is concerned with the ability to release the entire sinker mechanism if there is enough tension on the cord. This will normally happen if the fishing hook becomes entangled with something in the water or caught on the bottom of the floor of the body of water that the fisherman is in. The device will also release if the fish pulls with a strong enough force. The present invention instead, is concerned with being able to change the weights of the sinker in a quick and inexpensive manner before casting the fishing line.
A device for simply attaching a stone or rock to a fishing line to function as a casting or sinker weight. The device includes a flexible elastic strap capable of encircling a stone or rock and conforming to its peripheral surface. The device further includes means for securing the strap to a fishing line.
In the above prior art invention, the operator of the device is concerned with being able to cast the fishing hook far from the user by having added weight to the line and then being able to automatically remove said weight from the line so that the line does not sink to the bottom of the body of water. This invention is not concerned with being able to change the weight of the weight as the instant invention is, the prior art invention is only interested with the immediate removal of it once the weight hits the water.
A fishing apparatus attachable to and moveable along a fishing line so as to attaching a stone or rock to a fishing line to provide a recoverable sinker release that is operative when retrieving a catch. A fishing line with a swivel connecting a leader and bait or lure is threaded through two concentric, interlocking, cylindrically shaped members, the inner one of which is provided with an attaching means for carrying various sized sinkers. The concentric members are locked together in use by a spring extending through an opening in the inner member to rest against said swivel. As a catch in retrieved, the outer concentric member contacts the to of a fishing rod or pole and disengages said spring from contact with the swivel, thereby permitting said catch to be retrieved.
The present invention has no mechanical engagement or disengagement members nor is the present invention used to disengage the sinker while in the water as is the case in the above referenced prior art. This prior art uses various sized stones as the weights whereas the instant invention uses various sized nails as the weights.
A unitary tubular holder, preferably molded of resilient material such as plastic, has an attachment eye molded at one end thereof with the bore opening at the other end thereof. A preferably cylindrical weight is positioned in the holder bore open end preferably partially extending from the holder and expanding the holder for releasable gripping therebetween. The holder hastening eye may be attached to a fishing line and engagement of the weight by an exterior object will cause a release of the weight from the holder bore upon a force at the holder fastening eye.
The above referenced prior art is specifically designed for a single sized weight that can be released when the fishing line becomes fouled on objects beneath the surface of the water, such as rocks, heavy weeds and similar objects. The present invention is designed for various sized weights that do not release in the water, i.e. release only when the user removes them to exchange one weight size for another weight size.
A weight release mechanism includes a tubular body portion and end enclosures through which a wire-like shank slidably extends. The shank has opposite ends projecting from the body portion one of such ends being arranged to be connected to a pole line and the other end to a fish line. The shank has an offset parallel finger which extends interiorly of the body portion and operates in the area of a window provided in the body portion. Such finger is arranged to engage the end loop of a weight line. The shank is formed of a spring wire or the like and has spring convolutions formed directly therein which provide elongation of the shank to the extent that the weight release finger is movable out of the plane of the window to release the weight, such action occurring when a large fish is hooked and also when the weight becomes snagged.
The above referenced prior art is a complex means of being able to free weight from the tackle in the event that a fish is hooked or also in the event that the weight is snagged. This is done by separating the weight from the rest of the tackle by means of a series of wires and coils. Again, the present invention does not remove the weight from the tackle or fishing line while the line is being used to fish, i.e. while the line is in the water. The only time the weight is removed is explicitly by the operator in order to exchange the weight for one of greater or lesser value.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,319 issued to J. R. Griffith; U.S. Pat No. 3,516,192 issued to H. W. MacLeod; U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,583 issued to N. A. Leash; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,426,469 issued to O. M. Lee et al all discuss various types of detachable sinkers and weights. Some of which detach automatically upon contact with the water where others need a force such as pulling on the line, but all of the sinkers or weights detach while in the water. None of the above reference patents discuss detaching or exchanging the weights for ones of various size before use while still attached to the fishing line. As a further distinction between all the above referenced prior art patents is that in the instant invention an attractant is added to the sleeve in order to attract certain fish while repulsing others.
The inventor has previously submitted this invention under Disclosure Document Program submission number 321016 dated Dec. 3, 1992 entitled "Precision Release Drift Weight". The inventor, David E. Rinker, has also previously filed for a "Snagless Sinker", Ser. No. 07/449,599 filed Dec. 12, 1989, now abandoned as of Sep. 19, 1990. Both of these documents teach some material in common with the present invention.